


My Time Of Day

by 1f_this_be_madness



Series: So Shines A Good Deed-Police Partners [1]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Gen, I love love LOVE this movie, The title and quote at the beginning of this piece is from Guys and Dolls, a musical that I also love, and their friendship is wonderful I appreciate it so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 12:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7508308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1f_this_be_madness/pseuds/1f_this_be_madness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On an all-night undercover stakeout, partners Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves nearly alone on a street near Little Rodentia, and Judy finds out something interesting about her foxy friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Time Of Day

"My time of day is the dark time--  
A couple of deals before dawn; when the street belongs to the cop  
and the janitor with the mop,  
and the grocery store clerks are all gone . . . That's my time of day.  
When the rain-washed sidewalk gleams clean, and fresh, and cold.  
And when the streetlamp light fills the gutter with gold--!  
That's my time of day. My time of day,  
and you're the only doll I've ever wanted to share it with me . . . ." ~Sky Masterson to Sarah Brown, _Guys and Dolls_

Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are on an incognito stakeout at three o'clock in the morning, strolling down the sidewalk after practically everyone else in the city has gone home. Apart from a night janitor who is mopping up the entryway of the 'Racing Rodent Roller Rink' there is nobody else in sight. 

Nick gives a little wave to the janitor as they pass, and is acknowledged with a nod and a smile. Judy is impressed. "You know, Nick, when you first told me that you knew EVERYBODY in Zootopia, I thought you were just pulling this bunny bumpkin's tail." (He has the grace to look a little ashamed at this reminder of his jabs at her when they first met) "But you were totally serious--you really DO know everyone!" she continues. He shrugs offhandedly, modest. 

"Thanks, but don't forget, rabbit--one of the essentials of being a successful con-fox is, you gotta get the mark to believe in the con. And one of the best ways to do that is to get to know 'em. I'm pretty good at reading people . . . or animals, as it were." Judy nods, her ears drooping a little. 

"You certainly read all about me with that dandy little speech you gave. What was it you said? 'Everybody comes to Zootopia thinking "anyone can be anything". Well you can't. You can only be what you are: sly fox, dumb bunny.'" The fox rubs the back of his neck and looks at his partner apologetically.

"Well, animals do have the capacity to surprise me . . . and you definitely did that, Carrots. A great number of times." She smiles up at him, looking thoughtful.

"To be fair, you surprised me too, Nick. The first compliment I ever gave you still stands, though--you really are an articulate fella." He grins back.

"SECOND compliment, Officer Hopps--the first one you gave me was that I was a great dad, remember?" Her ears shoot back up and her nose twitches.

"Oh yeah! But I'm sure that will also be true, someday you'll make a GREAT dad." Nick shudders in half-real horror.

"Ugh. How dare you."

"What?" His rabbit partner giggles. "You're sure to meet a nice vixen at some point, Nick--maybe even on this case!" She is only teasing, but his hackles are now up.

"I've met plenty of nice vixens in my life, Carrots, but every sojourn with one always ends the same way. Someone gets their heart broken, and that someone isn't me." Judy has grown sober at these words, but she is still curiously listening.

"How come?" 

Her fox friend sighs through his sharp teeth. "I don't open up easily, okay? Or ever. The only time I ever let loose something about myself was in that sky tram with you." Oh. Judy remembers those moments vividly--the story Nick told about his stint with the Junior Ranger Scouts and the way he seemed to shrink as he told it. And how he didn't accept her comfort the second he realized she was attempting to give it. But she is still glad that he told her and was willing to open up, even if it was only for a second. She wants to say something about it again now, that her partner is so much more than an untrustworthy predator, but the sly fox seems to have realized her intention and is quickly continuing the conversation. "Now look at this, Carrots. That's it--stop right here for a second." She halts close to a streetlight and he puts his paw on her shoulder. "Now breathe it in, the air before dawn, crisp and clean. And remember that rain we got caught in?" Judy nods; earlier that evening they had to dash for shelter under a droopy awning during a downpour and huddle close together to keep warm. But the still-wet sidewalk beneath their paws now gleams clean, fresh, and cold. "And see that streetlamp?" Nick's ears and tail are high with excitement as he points it out. "See how the light shines gold in the gutter there?"

"Wow!" Judy's ears have risen too and she gives a quick hop of ecstasy. "I do see it! Oh, Nick, that's beautiful." She gives his arm a squeeze and he smiles down into her luminous purple eyes.

"I always like being out at night around this time," he confides. "It's quiet, but so darn pretty. And there's always something to see." He stops talking, embarrassed to be revealing more of his inner self to her--again--but talking to Judy is somehow comforting for him, as well as relaxing. Maybe it's because those giant expressive ears of hers are always ready and willing to listen. 

Judy was clutching her partner's arm when he showed her the light, and now, before releasing it, she gives him a soft pat. "Thank you for sharing this time of night with me, Nick," she says quietly. "and for showing me what about it you enjoy. I'm honored." Nick Wilde could hug his partner for saying that--for how sweet and earnest she's always been; but she's got a spark of spunk inside her too, otherwise she never would've hustled him. 

Once he got over his anger about that tax evasion-recording-carrot-pen stunt, he was incredibly impressed. That was the coolest thing anyone had ever done to him when they realized they'd been caught in a hustle. It was always fun to see the animals he hustled rant and wail if they found out about it, but Judy Hopps had ranted and wailed and then paid him back tit for tat. No one had ever done such a thing to Nicholas P. Wilde, and he found that he rather enjoyed it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to the creators of and actors in the movie Zootopia for making this world so immersing and enjoyable to watch and write about.
> 
> And thanks also to the creators of the musical Guys and Dolls. As the first musical I stage managed in high school, it holds a special place in my heart.


End file.
